Just within this past year, I have had to get two car repair type jobs done to my Sonata and they both were through the roof expensive. After I damaged my car this second time, I began to notice all the other cars driving around me that were broken, dent, and “blemished” in some way.

This got me thinking about my mistakes and the universal truth that everybody makes them. None of us are left without dents and scrapes. If we look around or listen, we will see and hear that everyone has failed in some way and has been hurt by it, “damaged”.

Once there’s damage, you have to go get it repaired, right? For a car, repair costs are high, it takes time, hurts your pride, and basically, it’s all on you. No one can bail you out. Sure, insurance pays for a lot (if you have it), but you still have to pay the consequences.

It’s not the same for us. Believe it or not, someone does bail us out, pays the cost of repairs- Jesus. We all walk around with hurt. We all mess up, but God heals that and pays for it. We should face the consequences, we should be forever separated from God, but instead, He chooses to step in, with His son, and pay the price.

Just like some cars, we all have some dents and scrapes, but we don’t have to ever pay for our mistakes because our Savior already did.

“When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.”

Do you comprehend my little heart? Only one is in control of this earth! Only He can hold back a storm, prevent pain, stop an earthquake, or hold us up through chaos and destruction.

Some may ask why have You not done something about these evils?

You already have, with Your son’s own suffering, with His death on the cross. Let my faith grow much bigger. Do what you must! I am scared, but I am more scared to live a life where my God is so much smaller than You actually are.

No, this is not an article arguing for why Frodo is not a terrible character. Though, I do honestly believe none of us would be able to do what Frodo did.

This is, however, about the moment Frodo is literally trapped in a spider web. He’s rejected his dearest friend, he’s breaking a part of exhaustion in every way because of the ring, he’s far from home, he probably wishes he were dead. If it weren’t bad enough, he gets bitten by a spider, spun into a web cocoon, and taken away by orcs. What the dickens?

Yet, this terrible scenario ends up being his saving grace. The orcs fight for Frodo’s stuff, and kill each other, leaving the way open for Frodo and Sam, leaving them armor and costumes to dress in and sneak into Mordor with. Without those terrible events, they may have not gotten through to Mordor.

How does that make you feel about the bad things that happen in your life – as bad as being bitten by a giant spider and kidnapped by orcs?

Somehow, God can use the worst things to lead to better things. Perhaps that situation leads to an open door somewhere that could have never opened without it.

Is the pain or sorrow lessened? Absolutely not.

It sucks. It sucks to carry an evil ring, almost die numerous times, and betray your friend, but it could just bring you to victory, safety, and hope!